This invention relates to lampshades generally, and, more specifically, to a combination lampshade device primarily directed to providing interchangeable outwardly appearing lampshades over a base which may be independently utilized as a lampshade, without the use of any affixing means, beyond the shape of the individual elements.
The concept of a cover for an existing lampshade, either for protection, or for varying the outward appearance, only, is generally known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,506, issued to Dunbar, provides a removable lampshade cover which is secured to an existing lampshade, at its top and/or at its bottom, by elastic band fastening means. U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,412, to Glendmyer, discloses a removable cover for an existing lampshade by utilization of VELCRO fasteners affixed both to the cover material and to the existing lampshade. U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,912, to Bendit, discloses a lampshade dressing kit for receiving fabric over an existing lampshade frame by clamping strips to the upper and lower rims of the existing lampshade frame where said strips are utilized to hold the added material in place. U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,474, to Leitner et al, discloses a do-it-yourself lampshade kit for preparing and affixing material to a base lampshade utilizing adhesive means. U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,902, issued to Hyland et al, discloses a universal foldable lampshade of pleated material which may be reduced in circumference at its upper end and held in place primarily by a strip of double-sided adhesive tape. U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,715, to Anderson, discloses a lampshade cover utilizing a drawstring and/or elastic band to hold the same in place. U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,216, to Chong et al, discloses a pleated lampshade cover and method which utilizes one or more circumferential elastic bands to hold the cover in position.
While all of the referenced prior art relates, in some respects, to covering an existing lampshade, or lampshade frame, with different material, or a different xe2x80x9cappearance,xe2x80x9d all of said applications are directed to separate and distinct fastening xe2x80x9cmeansxe2x80x9d such as adhesive, drawstring, or elastic bands to hold the cover in place. Further, the applications shown in the prior art, as an example, the Glendmyer patent, require a modification to the base shade, which renders the base shade unacceptable for use standing alone without the cover, or, as in the case of the Dunbar patent, or the Anderson patent, utilize fastening means beyond the shape of the cover, which present, when in place, a different shape, or overall xe2x80x9cfeelxe2x80x9d than that provided by the base standing alone. The referenced prior art is not directed to a combination lampshade assembly which may be used as a complete assembly combination or may be utilized in conjunction with existing lampshade assemblies, which allows, at the user""s option, the existing base shade to be utilized alone without visible modification or in combination with one or more outer shells, which do not change the outer shape of the overall assembly from the outer shape of the base lampshade assembly, and which one or more outer shells may be held in place solely by the xe2x80x9cfitxe2x80x9d of each successive outer shade over the base shade, or any succeeding outer shade, by the force of gravity, and without additional fastening means.
Neither does the known prior art address the present invention""s feature of providing a combination outer shade utilizing one or more translucent inner shades, and one or more outer shades having xe2x80x9ccut-outxe2x80x9d areas, thereby providing the ability to provide, not only a variety of external surface appearances, but, within those appearances, an infinite variety of visible lighted designs and a virtual unlimited supply of translucent colors.
Accordingly, a need exists for a combination lampshade which does not require any modification to the base lampshade assembly which would prevent it from being utilized alone, in an aesthetically pleasing manner, and which will permit interchangeable variations of the outer appearance of the entire assembly while maintaining the appearance of a single shade.
Further, a need additionally exists for a lampshade assembly, as mentioned above, in which the external component or cover may be interchanged without application and/or adjustment of any other fastening means, and which can be immediately returned to the original application without removal of any fastening means.
This invention is directed to the provision of a lampshade assembly device, which is essentially a combination lampshade having a base lampshade element, which is, essentially, a standard lampshade, which combination lampshade does not require any modification to the base lampshade assembly which would prevent it from being utilized alone. It is further directed to a combination lampshade which, in combination with the base lampshade, provides a lampshade cover element, which may be of one, or two, separate elements, which lampshade cover or shade may be included in any number of interchangeable variations. The invention, in its base form, constitutes a combination lampshade which includes a standard base lampshade having a uniform outer surface, an upper opening and a lower opening, with a differentiation in surface area of the openings whereas the diameter of the base lampshade increases from top to bottom.
An outer lampshade cover, of a rigid material sufficient to allow it to stand alone, is provided. The cover rigid cover lampshade may be provided in multiple units, all interchangeable. It is configured so that it is slightly larger than the base lampshade, but uniformly configured to match it so that it may be placed over the base lampshade and, in such placement, the outer diameter of the base lampshade and the inner diameter of the cover lampshade correspond in a male-female relationship with the top opening and bottom opening of the base lampshade and of the cover lampshade defining areas, for the top and the bottom, which are substantially in the same horizontal plane, with the outer surface of the base lampshade contacting the inner surface of the cover lampshade across their respective general surface areas. The cover lampshade is held in place, gravitationally, by such contact and, when properly configured, covers the outer surface of the base lampshade.
According to a further feature of the invention, the base lampshade may be constructed of an opaque, transparent or translucent material and the cover lampshade may be configured so as to provide cut-out areas whereby light from the lamp, through the opaque base shade, may project defined images through the outer cover lampshade, when the inner shade is transparent or translucent.
According to a further feature of the invention, the cover lampshade element may be provided in two parts, with each part being available in multiple interchangeable variations. In this feature of the invention, an inner shade element is provided which may be of rigid or non-rigid material, with its shape generally conforming to the outer shape of the base lampshade. This inner cover shade is constructed of opaque, translucent or transparent material. A second or outer cover shade is provided having cut-out areas in it so that, when used in combination with a translucent or transparent base shade material, light from the lamp may be projected through the base shade, further through the inner shade, and through cut-outs on the rigid outer shade, to provide lighted defined images of varying shapes and/or colors or levels of intensity depending upon the combination of inner and outer shades chosen. For example, a translucent inner shade may be of different degrees of translucency, or of different colors. One outer shade may be used with a variety of inner shades, or, the variations may be combined in any desired combination. As stated, the lamp can always be utilized with simply a single outer shade, or with only the base lampshade assembly.
The outer shade element may, of course, be constructed of an opaque material without cut-outs, simply to provide a variation in that manner as well.
The base lampshade element, in all applications, provides a means, normally standard for such lampshades, for affixing the same to the lamp itself.
The above and additional features of the invention may be considered and will become apparent in conjunction with the drawings, in particular, and the detailed description which follows.